Justus Cornelias Dirks Explained

Cor Dirks
Birth Name:	Justus Cornelias Dirks
Birth Date:	28 February 1911
Birth Place:	Volksrust, Transvaal, South Africa
Death Place:	Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
Nationality:	South African
Spouse:	Elsje Christina van Niekerk
Children:	2
Known For:	Youth fiction writer

Justus Cornelias Dirks (1911-2001) was a writer from South Africa.

History

Dirks was born on 28 February 1911 in Volksrust, Transvaal, South Africa to Justus Dirks and Cornelia Petronella Herselmann. He married Elsje Christina van Niekerk on 7 July 1939. The couple had two children. Dirks died on 15 October 2001, in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.^[1]

Education

Having passed standard 10 (grade 12) in 1928 at Volksrust High School, Dirks studied from 1929 to 1937 at the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education and obtained a BA (History and English), MA (History) and a diploma in Education.^[2]

Career

From 1934 to 1973 Dirks taught at schools in Duiwelskloof, Potchefstroom, Belfast, Boksburg and Johannesburg. He was Vice-Headmaster at Voortrekker High School in Boksburg and Headmaster of Linden High School, in Johannesburg for 18 years.^{[3] [4]}

Writing

In addition to books, other writings were published or broadcast:^{[5] [6]}

• short stories in magazines and newspapers namely Die Jongspan, Die Naweek, Die Brandwag, Die Huisgenoot, Die Huisvrou, Die Ruiter and 10-Plus,
• a drama, televised by the SABC during South Africa's first day of television in 1976, named Die Dubbele Alibi (translated from Afrikaans: The Double Alibi),
• a series: Die Honde van Donkerkrans (translated: The Dogs of Dark Cliff), broadcast on radio in 1976.

Books written:

align=center	Year	align=center	Title	align=center	Title translated	align=center	Part of a series	align=center	Reference
1946	As Die Galg Dreig	When you face the Gallow	No	^[7]
1947	Arendnes se Moordenaar	Eagle Nest's Murderer	No	^[8]
1948	Hoefslag van Die Dood	Hoofbeat of The Death	No	^[9]
1949	Die Uile van Kranskop	The Owls of Kranskop	Yes	^[10]
1950	Bloed in die Weste	Blood in the West	No	^[11]
1950	Moord wek Moord	Murder begets Murder	No	^[12]
1950	Wadda van die Woestyn	Wadda from the Desert	No	^[13]
1950	Die Uile en die Rampokkers	The Owls and the Gangsters	Yes	^[14]
1951	Arend van As	Arend van As	No	^[15]
1953	Breuk Onder die Uile	The Owls Split Up	Yes	^[16]
1954	Die Uile in die Wildtuin	The Owls in the Game Reserve	Yes	^[17]
1956	Ghoerie : die Musketier	Ghoerie – the Musketeer	No	^[18]
1956	Die Uile in die Kalahari	The Owls in the Kalahari	Yes	^[19]
1957	Die Uile en die Verlore Stad	The Owls and the Lost City	Yes	^[20]
1958	Die Uile langs die Limpopo	The Owls beside the Limpopo	Yes	^[21]
1959	Die Uile by die See	The Owls by the Sea	Yes	^[22]
1961	Die Uile in die Wapad	The Owls on the Wagon Trail	Yes	^[23]
1965	Vyf Uile en ’n Tier	Five Owls and a Tiger	Yes	^[24]
1966	Rooi Oog, Geel Oog	Red Eye, Yellow Eye	No	^[25]
1966	Die Uile in die Gimnasium	The Owls in the Gymnasium	Yes	^[26]
1971	Ben Opperman van Hoogland	Ben Opperman of Highland	NO	^[27]
1971	Die Uile in Mosambiek	The Owls in Mozambique	Yes	^[28]
1976	Die Smits gaan See toe	The Smits visit the Sea	No	^[29]
1977	Joof van Doringkop	Joof of Doringkop	Yes	^[30]
1979	Joof en sy Maats by Doringspruit	Joof and his Friends at Thorn Creek	Yes	^[31]
1980	Joof en sy Maats in Etosha	Joof and his Friends at Etosha	Yes	^[32]
1981	Joof en sy Maats op Doringkruin	Joof and his Friends on Thorn Crest	Yes	^[33]
1981	Joof en sy Maats onder die Koeëls	Joof and his Friends Under Fire	Yes	^[34]
1981	Die Otters	The Otters	Yes	^[35]
1983	Joof en sy Maats se Bergavontuur	Joof and his Friends' Mountain Adventure	Yes	^[36]
1983	Joof en sy Maats in Tongaland	Joof and his Friends in Tonga Land	Yes	^[37]
1983	Joof en sy Maats : Platina uit Wes-Transvaal	Joof and his Friends – Platina from Western Transvaal	Yes	^[38]
1983	Die Otters op die Bosveldplaas	The Otters on the Bushveld Farm	Yes	^[39]
1983	Die Otters se Koshuisstreke	The Otters' escapades at the School Hostel	Yes	^[40]
1984	Die Otters en die Huis op die Krans	The Otters and the House on the Cliff	Yes	^[41]
1985	Die Otters se Fietstoer	The Otters' Cycle Tour	Yes	^[42]
1986	Joof en sy Maats en die Dwelmsmokkelaars	Joof and his Friends and the Drug Dealers	Yes	^[43]
1986	Die Otters en die Skateiland van die Seychelles	The Otters and the Treasure Island of the Seychelles	Yes	^[44]
1988	Joof en sy Maats en die Ivoordiewe	Joof and his Friends and the Ivory Thieves	Yes	^[45]
1988	Die Otters se Veldskoolavonture	The Otters' School Trip Adventures	Yes	^[46]
1989	Die Otters in die Okavango-moeras	The Otters in the Okavango Marsh	Yes	^[47]
1990	Die Uile Vlieg Weer	The Owls Fly Again	Yes	^[48]

Note: "The Owls and the Otters" refer to a group of friends and their adventures. Joof is a boy's name.

Recognition

• Linden High School named a building after him.^[49]
• He received an academic award in 1999 at the Aardklop Art Festival in Potchefstroom for his contribution to children's literature.^[2]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Cor Dirks . Springbok Books . 1 September 2018.
2. Web site: Cor Dirks. Storiewerf. storiewerf.co.za. 2 September 2018.
3. Web site: Cor Dirks. Litnet. 3 September 2018. 20 October 2011. Botha, D..
4. Web site: Cor Dirks . Protea Books . 4 September 2018 . Protea Boekhuis. 3 October 2013.
5. Web site: Cor Dirks. 25 August 2018. 30 August 2018 . Rapport newspaper . Rosseau, L..
6. Web site: (Afrikaans) Die Otters en die Uile (translated: The Otters and the Owls) . 1 September 2018 . Protea Books.
7. Book: As die galg dreig. 86040087.
8. Book: Arendnes se moordenaar. 808623656.
9. Book: Hoefslag van die dood. 123710229.
10. Web site: Die Uile van Kranskop. Dirks. Cor. 1949.
11. Book: Bloed in die Weste. 37498541.
12. Book: Moord wek moord. 37498569.
13. Web site: Wadda van die woestyn. Dirks. Cornelias. 1950.
14. Web site: Die Uile en die rampokkers. Dirks. Cor. 1957.
15. Book: Arend van As. 638473758.
16. Web site: Breuk onder die Uile.
17. Web site: Die Uile in die wildtuin. 5 December 2011.
18. Book: Ghoerie die musketeer. 819334223.
19. Web site: Die Uile in die Kalahari.
20. Web site: Die Uile en die verlore stad.
21. Book: Die Uile langs die Limpopo. 9780628006110. Dirks. Cor. 1974. Perskor.
22. Web site: Die Uile by die see.
23. Web site: Die Uile in die wapad.
24. Web site: Vyf Uile en 'n tier.
25. Web site: Rooi oog, geel oog. Dirks. Cor. 1966.
26. Web site: Die Uile in die gimnasium.
27. Book: Ben Opperman van Hoogland. 814191103.
28. Web site: Die Uile in Mosambiek.
29. Web site: Die Smits gaan see toe.
30. Book: Joof van Doringkop. 819390234.
31. Book: Joof en sy maats by Doringspruit. 9780628018922. Dirks. Cor. 1981. Perskor.
32. Book: Joof en sy maats in Etosha. 9780628035103. Dirks. Cor. 1992. Perskor.
33. Book: Joof en sy maats op Doringkruin. 9780628021397. Dirks. Cor. 1981. Perskor.
34. Book: Joof en sy maats onder die koeëls. 819466800.
35. Book: Die Otters. 672149673.
36. Web site: Joof en sy maats se bergavontuur.
37. Book: Joof en sy maats in Tongaland. 819384256.
38. Web site: Joof en sy maats: Platina uit Wes-Transvaal.
39. Book: Die Otters op die Bosveldplaas. 705963091.
40. Book: Die Otters se koshuisstreke. 9781869193805. Dirks. Cor. 2010. Protea Boekhuis.
41. Web site: Die Otters en die huis op die krans.
42. Book: Die Otters se fietstoer. 760757602.
43. Book: Joof en sy maats en die dwelmsmokkelaars. 819482626.
44. Book: Die Otters en die skateiland van die Seychelles. 819490034.
45. Web site: Joof en sy maats en die ivoordiewe. 1988.
46. Book: Die Otters se veldskoolavonture. 813535052.
47. Book: Die Otters in die Okavango-moeras. 122273148.
48. Book: Die Uile vlieg weer. 9780628033956. Dirks. Cor. 1990. Perskor.
49. Web site: News. 31 August 2018.